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ON-CAMPUS HOUSING
January/February 2018 StudentHousingBusiness.com
70
Generation Shift
From lowering student costs to a surge in living-learning communities, on-campus housing is changing
to meet the needs and desires of the next generation of students.
By Katie Sloan
A
A new generation of students is beginning to
enter universities across the country. To accom-
modate the changing wants and desires of Gen Z,
many universities are altering the characteristics
and amenities of their on-campus housing when
they develop, redevelop and renovate residence
halls to appeal to these incoming students.
Increasing concerns about college costs are
impacting decisions made during the develop-
ment process, including the addition of more
less-expensive units to appeal to those students
with limited housing budgets. Trends like living-
learning communities, which bring academics
to the student's front door, are becoming more
popular, alongside the addition of more study
spaces and collaborative workrooms, in lieu of
suites and entertainment lounges.
Unit style is shifting away from apartment-
style living to collaborative pods and double
occupancy rooms to foster deeper relationships
between students as they first enter a univer-
sity. With a focus on creating the optimum living
environment for student academic success, social
fitness and overall well-being, universities are
upping the ante across the country with innova-
tive new projects.
Planning and Costs
One of the major factors in new on-campus
development is an increasing concern about col-
lege costs among students.
"The new generation of college students is
more aware of the financial realities of college
life," says Mike Porrit, vice president of advi-
sory services at The Scion Group. "They are
more averse to debt and tend to be more fiscally
conservative. This translates to a group that is
increasingly price sensitive as it pertains to hous-
ing costs and decisions. On-campus housing pro-
viders must consider this and provide an array
of options that offer value for residents' money."
This has translated to an increase in double-
occupancy rooms on-campus.
"There has been a lot of pressure to keep costs
affordable, and we're seeing a lot of our clients
revisit double-occupancy rooms for affordabil-
ity," says Jeff Turner, executive vice president at
Brailsford & Dunlavey. "For a long time, the logic
was that 80 percent or more of students grew
up with their own bedroom so therefore they
needed a single bedroom on-campus. We're see-
ing that a lot of on-campus projects are including
The Scion Group was engaged to conduct a student housing feasibility study and
P3 development partner selection for the development of an $85 million student residence hall
and culinary arts center — which includes a restaurant, conference and banquet facility —
at Centennial College in Toronto.
Century Square is a mixed-use development currently underway at Texas A&M University
in College Station with the Midway Companies as the developer. The property will include
two hotels, retail, an entertainment venue, emergency medical services, office space,
restaurants and student, faculty and staff housing.